Developmental hemostasis and ventricular assist devices: A troubled relationship

Children maintain balanced hemostasis despite many hemostatic differences in comparison to adults with the incidence of thrombosis and hemorrhage in normal children being diminutive. However, there are cohorts of children demonstrated to be a high-risk for thrombosis, which specifically include children with a ventricular assist device (VAD). Adult studies demonstrate that the addition of a VAD to the circulatory system results in hemostatic activation, which unless modulated by antithrombotic therapy (AT), may result in stroke, pump thrombosis, and possibly death.
Source: Progress in Pediatric Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research